If you’re looking for a clean, crisp, colorless white, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65 might be just what you need. This timeless paint color is both beautiful and versatile.
Cabinets painted in Chantilly Lace, flat classic.
What Is the “Undertone” of Chantilly Lace?
All colors belong to a hue family. Hue family describes a color’s location on a specific segment of the color wheel, like red, yellow, blue, etc. Sometimes that color will sneak up on you a bit once the paint is dry on the walls (which is often what people mean when they ask about “undertone”).
Identifying a color’s hue family gives us an objective way to predict how a color will behave. We do this by measuring a color’s dominant hue angle using color measurement tools, like colorimeters and spectrophotometers. Chantilly Lace has a hue angle of 113.59° which puts it in the Green-Yellow hue family.
What does this mean? This Green-Yellow area happens to be on the same part of the color wheel where many of the colors we perceive as “just plain ol’ white” are located. In most circumstances, Chantilly Lace looks fairly clean and colorless but depending on the lighting, you may see it lean a bit yellow or green. Chantilly Lace’s particular location on the color wheel is also just a bit further into the Green neighborhood than many other popular white paint colors (which live in the Yellow neighborhood). This makes Chantilly Lace an ever-so-slightly cooler white compared to other options.
Hue family is not always obvious, especially when it comes to neutral colors. In our Virtual Color Consultation Reports, we use spectral data, like hue angle and chroma, to give you an objective, scientific read on color. No random, subjective guessing about “undertones!”
How Does Lighting or Exposure Affect Chantilly Lace?
LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is a measurement commonly used by design professionals—such as architects and interior designers—that expresses the percentage of light reflected from a surface. LRVs range from 0 to 100%, with 100% being pure white and 0 being absolute black. Chantilly Lace has an LRV of 90.04% making it pretty darn reflective and bright.
Chantilly Lace used in rooms with a southern or western exposure will look beautifully white without looking too warm or creamy. In a room with north-facing light, you may see Chantilly Lace leaning a tiny bit cooler.
Pay attention to what’s outside your window when evaluating the effects of natural lighting (a.k.a. exposure). White paint is extremely reflective. If you’ve got a lot of greenery filtering the sunlight outside your window, you may see a bit more green in your paint. Have a neighbor with a red brick wall? It might cast a bit more warmth on the room.
In general, white paint is extremely vulnerable to the effects of your lighting. Compared to some other whites, BM Chantilly Lace is a very clean, low-chroma paint color. This means there’s not a lot of “color” in the paint to counteract whatever color light you’re directing at it. Standard 2700 K soft white light bulbs can make the paint will look more yellow, whereas 5000 K “daylight” bulbs will make it look bluer. When possible, opt for bulbs in the 3000 to 3500 K range and consider how your room’s exposure will affect your choice.
You must sample this color in the space you intend to use it before you start putting it on your walls and trim! (We mail 8″ x 10″ paint swatches of our recommendations to our Virtual Color Consultation clients.)
What Colors Look Good with Chantilly Lace?
Because Chantilly Lace has such an incredibly low chroma (meaning, very little color) and a high value (meaning, it’s extremely light), it provides enough contrast to pair well with many different colors. That said, it looks especially good with cooler color palettes (blues, greens, purples). It doesn’t play quite as well with earth tones, beiges, and tans, which generally pair better with a warmer white.
Be extra careful pairing Chantilly Lace with other white paint colors. Without a fairly significant difference in chroma values, you risk making one or both whites look dingy/yellow/dirty/gray by comparison. We explain chroma measurements, how to find them, and how to use them in our online course, Color By The Numbers™.
Trim and panel wall painted in Chantilly White. Upper wall color is Benjamin Moore Classic Gray.
Is Chantilly Lace White a Good Trim and Cabinet color?
Yes! Again, I think it looks especially pretty in homes with cooler color palettes and in spaces that have marble or white quartz counters.
Can I Paint the Walls Chantilly Lace?
Yes! If you’re planning to use Chantilly Lace as a trim color as well, simply vary the sheen or finish to get a little dimension and definition between surfaces (i.e., satin finish for cabinets and trim, flat or eggshell finish for walls, flat for ceilings).
This pretty living room used Chantilly Lace on walls and trim in different sheens.
Is This a Good Paint Color For My Exterior?
Possibly. Keep in mind, that Chantilly Lace is an exceptionally bright paint color that will look even brighter outdoors. It may also reflect back the colors of its surroundings. As with any exterior color selection, make sure the color blends well with the style and fixed elements of your home. Again, the best way to do this is to view samples on the walls at different times of the day.
Siding is Ben Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65. Louvers and front door are Sherwin Williams Hitching Post Black DCR 108. Foundation and window trim are Sherwin Williams Ellie Gray 7650
What Other Paint Colors Are Similar to Chantilly Lace?
Take a look at Ultra Pure White by Behr, another super clean, very bright white. In fact, Ultra Pure White actually has the lowest chroma of almost any white paint available making it one of the “whitest white paint” options. Benjamin Moore Super White OC-152 (also known as PM-1) is another great option. And we can’t leave out the super popular Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White, another gorgeous bright, virtually colorless white that plays well with a lot of different colors.
Don’t go into a non-Benjamin Moore paint store and ask them to mix up a Chantilly Lace “equivalent” for you. I never recommend color-matching between brands. Different brands use different formulas, bases, and proprietary pigments. Ultimately, it will be a different product so don’t expect to get identical results.
Need Help Choosing a Color?
Need help finding the right paint color? Order a Virtual Color Consultation Report from the color professionals at Three Bears Home Staging to get a custom, curated palette and guidance for your next painting project.
Order Your Virtual Color Consultation Report Today!
Whether you’re looking for a complete refresh of your space, experimenting with a new style, or just need a little professional guidance to help narrow down your paint color choices, our online color consultations can help!
